Furnace construction



May 24, 1932. MERRYWEATHER 1,859,743 I FURNACE CONSTRUCTION I Filed Jan.25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FURNACE CONSTRUCTI ON Patented May 24, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES MERRYWEATHER, OF GREEN CASTLE,INDIANA, ASSIGNOR F FORTY PER GENT 'I'O JAMES G. CAMPBELL, 0FGREEN'CASTLE, INDIANA FURNACE CONSTRUCTION Application filed January 25,1930. Serial No. 423,425.

This invention relates to a furnace construction and more particularlyto the casing of a hot air furnace such as used for domestic heatingpurposes. As is well known to those skilled in the art, it is generallya diflicult matter to make repairs to a furnace after the casing hasbeen set up. This is due to the fact that the casing is generally formedof metal strips or sheets extending horizontally around the furnace andthese cannot be removed without erecting some kind of rigging forsupporting the top of the casing or by taking apart the entire casing.Obviously this has added greatly to the cost of making repairs.

It is an object of the invention to provide a casing of novelconstruction one or more parts of which can be removed to afford readyaccess to the furnace enclosed thereby.

Another object is to provide a casing which includes separatelyremovable panels having simple and eificient means for fastening them inplace.

With the foregoing and other objects in 25 view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

red form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a hot air furnace having thepresent improvements.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of 5 reference, 1 designates thebase ring of the furnace casing, it being provided with an In theaccompanying drawings the preferupstanding flange 2 and being adapted torest upon a supporting surface as ordinarily. A top ring 3 is locatedabove the and has an outwardly extended annular flange 4 adapted tosupport the top section or dome 5 of the casing from which the usual hotair pipes are extended.

Interposed between the base ring 1 and the flange 4 of the top ring 3are spaced sup porting casing bars 6. Each of these bars 1s formed ofsteel or any other metal and is bolted or otherwise fastened at its endsto the respective rings 1 and 3. Each of these casing bars has its twosides formed to provlde a longitudinal channel 7 and laterally extendingflange 8 constituting an extension of the inner wall of the channel.Small openings 9 are extended transversely through the walls of each ofthe channels 7 and can be located at any points desired.

The furnace housed within the casing can be of any preferredconstruction and has been lndicated generally at 10. In the form shownthe front portion 11 of the furnace is extended from the bottom ring 1to the top ring 3 and two of the casing bars 6 are disposed at the sidesthereof. These particu lar casing bars may be formed with longitudinalextensions 12 on those flanges 13 nearest the front portion 11. sionscan be bolted or rivetedto the sides of the front portion as shown at 14in Figure 2.

Interposed between the casing bars 6 are sheet metal panels 15 thevertical edges of which are adapted to be seated removably in thechannels 7 of the casing bars. Each panel'extends from the bottom ring 1to the top ring 3 and is adapted to flex so as to lie substantiallyparallel with the rings. After the panel has been positioned with itsedges against'the flanges 8 of casing bars 6, the middle portion thereofcan be pressed inwardly against the rings so that the edges of the panelwilllbe forced into the channels a base ring These exten- V 7. Vith thepanel thus held tightly against the rings, nails or casing screws 16 canbe driven through the openings 9 and the panel 15 as shown in Figure 8,thereby locking the panel to the casing bars 6 and holding it againstdisplacement and outward bulging.

With panels in position between the several bars 6 a complete casingwill be pro- (luced and air will be free to circulate therethrough inthe usual way.

Should it be desired to obtain access to the furnace for the purpose ofmaking repairs, etc., it would merely be necessary to remove one or moreof the panels 15, it being understood that when these panels are removedthe top or dome 5 of the casing and the hot air pipes connected theretowill be supported properly by the casing bars 6.

Before a panel can be removed it is necessary first to withdraw thenails or screws 16 which engage it. The vertical edges of the panel canbe then pulled out of the channels 7. This withdrawal can be facilitatedby providing the panel with one or more grips 17 extendingoutwardly'therefrom.

Not only is it possible to reach the furnace for the purpose of makingrepairs, 'etc., without taking down the entire casing, but it is alsopossible to remove the entire furnace without taking down the casing.For example, in a structure such as illustrated in Figure 2, the lowerright hand casing bar 6, the one to the left thereof, and the two lowerpanels could be removed without causing the casing to collapse and thefurnace, after being detached from the casing, could be slid through theresultant opening.

Some hot air furnaces are provided with concentric inner shields orjackets for use as baffles. Where one of these is employed as shown forexample at 18, brackets 19. can be attached to and extended inwardlyfrom the casing bars 6 and can be used as supports for the shield orbaffle. 7

Obviously the construction of the casing can be modified to suit thefurnace with which it is used. For example, should the front portion ofthe furnace extend only a part of the height of the casing, the spacebetween said front portion and the top ring could be closed by means ofa small panel similar to the panels 15 and held in place in the samemanner as heretofore explained.

into channels in the bars at the sides of the panels, perforating meansextending through both walls of each channel and through the panel inthe channel, for holding the panel against outward flexing relative tothe rings, and means for flexing the panels outwardly to release themfrom the channels when freed from the holding means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signar ture.

J AMES MERRYWEATHER.

This modification is so obvious that a dee tailed illustration thereofis not deemed necessary.

What is claimed is:

A casing for heating furnaces including parallel sheet metal bars eachhaving longitudinal side folds providing a longitudinal channel and alongitudinal guide flange forming an extension of one wall of thechannel, rings connecting the ends of the bars, flexible metal panelsbearing inwardly against the rings and flanges and projecting

